James Hetfield Making Riffs, Axl Biffs It

Metallica singer-guitarist James Hetfield says he's created 846 riffs for the band's next album. He tells Rolling Stone that he knows the exact number because "in iTunes, you can see how many things you've got. And that does not include the soundchecks, the stuff we goof around with here. You plug in an amp. Suddenly it makes you feel good -- you come up with a riff. 'Dude, did you get that?' You can't get away from being recorded here."

The tour rider for Guns n' Roses European shows has leaked out. Axl Rose requires some standard items in his dressing room, including "wines, beers, vodka, red and white roses." The unusual item on the rider is a square melon. The rider says that the "exotic [item] absolutely can't be missed." The watermelon is grown in a square in Japan and was produced so families could fit it in their refrigerators.

That melon didn't help keep Axl on his feet Sunday night. He slipped leaving the stage in Liverpool, and some fans caught footage of the mishap.

In other news, Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose will produce a new EP for Candlelight Red.